


Just A Joke

by ImagineBeatles



Category: The Beatles (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 14:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15536382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImagineBeatles/pseuds/ImagineBeatles
Summary: John’s April fool’s prank doesn’t quite work out as he had thought.





	Just A Joke

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr in 2015

April first was about a week away and John decided it was time he pulled a good old fashioned prank on everyone. He already had an idea. But that idea needed two people. It was crucial. And that second person needed to agree for it to work. He hoped Paul would see the humour in it and agree into doing it. Knowing his best friend, he would. And else, he just had to come up with something new. But it had to be Paul. Only then it would work.

 

            ‘You what now?!’ Paul asked with a shocked expression on his face. He even sounded outraged. John felt himself getting nervous now. He hoped Paul would say yes. He had to. Perhaps all Paul needed was a little encouragement. He was just surprised, which John could understand. It wasn’t every day that your best mate would ask you to pretend to be his boyfriend as an April fool’s joke. John flashed his friend one of his most charming smiles before taking a step closer to him.

‘It’s just for one day. Nothing more. Can you imagine their faces?’

‘You can’t be…’ was the answer he got. If you could even call it an answer. John sighed.

‘Come on, Paul. It’s all for a good laugh, nothing serious. Besides, you’re the one who actually sucked a dick once.’ John said with a laugh, hoping to lighten the mood. Paul, however, didn’t take the comment very well.

‘That was only once! And you made me! We needed the money.’ The young man told him sternly and John quickly nodded.

‘Yes, okay. I understand. It’s all my fault. But, come one, Paul. It’s only a joke. Just one day. It will be fun.’ He said with a big smile on his face. Paul chewed at his bottom lip, thinking deeply about John’s proposition.

‘You’re serious, aren’t you?’

‘Of course!’ Paul rubbed his temples and sighed deeply before nodding.

‘Alright. Fine. But we need to set up some rules.’

‘Why? Scared I’m going to kiss you?’

‘Yes, actually.’ Paul answered dryly. John didn’t know what to say to that.

John and Paul sat down together at Paul’s dining table opposite each other

with their songwriting notebook before them. At the top of the page John scribbled in his quick messy handwriting: April fool’s, A McLennon prank.

‘John, please…’

‘What? It needs a name.’

‘Does it?’

‘Everything needs a name.’ John told his friend with a shrug.

‘Oh, why do I still put up with you after all these years?’ Paul asked dramatically.

‘Because you love me.’

‘Oh, do I?’

‘You do next week.’ John replied with a smirk, making Paul laugh.

‘Okay, fine.’ Paul said, still laughing, ‘Now, how far do we want to take this?’ John smiled a naughty smile at Paul.

‘What?! NO! I’m not going to make out with you!’ Paul shouted and pulled a face of disgust.

‘I didn’t say we have to make out. Just a kiss or two.’ John told him quickly. Paul shook his head.

‘Fuck no, John.’

‘Come one, Paul. They won’t believe us if we won’t even kiss. We won’t have to take it further than that, okay?’ John practically begged. Paul sighed and shook his head.

‘I can’t believe I agreed into doing this.’

‘Well, you did. So, kissing is okay?’ John asked and took the pen into his hand.

‘Ugh… fine… But nothing more! No grabbing my arse or anything!’ Paul said sternly. JOhn grinned at him as he scribbled something in the notebook.

‘I has to be believable. And who wouldn’t give your bum a nice squeeze if they had the chance.’ he said with a wink. Paul scoffed, but didn’t say anything.

It took the two lads about four more cups of tea before they had made up the rules and decided how to go about it. The plan was easy. John would turn up late, Paul would get mad and John would kiss his cheek and they would go from there. It all depended on George and Ringo and everyone else what happened next. But John promised it would work and there was nothing to worry about. If it got out of hand, they would stop, saying it was a prank, but they also did have to try to convince them. John couldn’t wait for April first. Paul however, wasn’t yet fully convinced, but decided to just go with it. He had done crazier things.

April first… it was time. Paul’s heart was racing in his chest as he walked into the recording studio with George, who had arrived just as Paul wanted to enter the building. Ringo wasn’t there yet. Nor was George Martin, so Paul and George just grabbed their guitars and started tuning. George tried to talk, but Paul couldn’t really focus, so after a while George gave up. Everytime Paul heard something outside, his head jerked up and into the direction of the door. He hoped John wasn’t going to show up any time soon. Actually he hoped he wouldn’t at all. He still couldn’t believe he was going along with this. It was ridiculous. He was nervous and tense and now he started hoping John would come in already so they could get it over with. Then there were noises behind the door again and Paul nearly dropped his guitar, as tense as he was, as the door opened. He sighed as he saw it was Ringo.

‘What’s with you, Paul. You’re acting like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.’ George exclaimed. Ringo crooked an eyebrow and Paul blushed.

‘I’m fine.’ he said.

‘Well… you’d better not be high. I know it’s April fool’s, but we still have to work. Getting high isn’t a good joke and won’t do much good for our next album done, you know.’

‘I’m not high.’ Paul answered dryly.

‘And good morning to you both.’ Ringo said as he closed the door behind him.

‘Sorry, Richie. Paul’s acting a little weird here. It’s odd.’ George said as he continued to watch Paul intensely. Paul gave him a look.

‘Isn’t he always?’ Ringo asked with an amused chuckle. Paul gave a fake laugh.

‘What? Paulie here a little grumpy?’ A voice suddenly came from behind Ringo.

‘John! You’re actually on time for once!’ George said with a chuckle. John shrugged and walked into the studio. Paul’s heart sped up like man and he felt his hands get clammy.

‘John…’ He mouthed. Ringo patted John’s back as a welcome, before letting John walk in further. Paul felt his cheeks get hot as he saw John approaching him, knowing perfectly well what would come next.

‘Morning, Macca.’ John greeted him. Paul swallowed thickly and looked up at the older man with wide eyes and did nothing to stop John as the older man leaned down and captured Paul’s lips with his own, pushing his upper body against Paul, keep the guitar from falling. Paul gasped in shock at the contact, only remembering something about John saying it would be a kiss on the cheek, nothing more. This, however, was nothing like that. This was full on mouth-on-mouth action. And there was nothing Paul could do to stop him as John cupped his cheek in his hands and held him in place as he kissed him. Not that Paul would want to.

The kiss was different than from what he had imagined it being. It wasn’t unpleasant or sickening or even rough. There was a slight burn on his cheek due to the stubble John had, but apart from that it was even rather pleasant. John’s mouth was hot and moving against his in a sweet and gentle, but needy way. He felt hot against him and the feeling of John’s warm breath against his lips made Paul get goosebumps all over. The kiss was calm and felt good. As John swept his rubbery wet tongue across Paul’s bottom lip, the younger man’s eyes fell close and he melted into the kiss. He even let a little silently moan slip. He could feel John’s lips curl up in a knowing smile and soon Paul’s fingers wrapped themselves around John’s hips, pulling him in closer. Paul never wanted him to stop. It felt that good.

Around him, it was completely quiet. So quiet Paul wasn’t sure if this was really happening or if this was a mere dream. But when John pulled away, and he opened his eyes, only to look straight into John’s eyes, he could hear George and Ringo start breathing again.

‘Wow…’ Ringo said in awe. Paul blushed as he saw him staring at them with wide eyes.

‘That was… unexpected.’ George said with a chuckle before continuing, ‘Seems like John finally had the guts to ask you, Paul. I didn’t know you were into guys, though. If I had, I would have set you two up way sooner.’ Paul’s eyes snapped back at John’s in shock at George’s words, only to find John looking at him with wide, scared eyes, like a deer in the middle of a road looking directly into the headlights of a car. Shit… Paul thought.

‘Yes… well… that’s me. Always surprising you when you least expect it.’ John said, his voice tight. Paul wasn’t sure to whom he was talking, however. Because John just kept on staring. Waiting for him to react. When Paul didn’t however, John kissed his nose once before pulling away and looking from George to Ringo and back again. Paul just sat on the chair with his guitar clutched tightly against him.

‘When did it happen?’ George asked, seeming not in the least bit bother with the guy-on-guy action that had just happened right before his eyes. Then again, George never was the homophobic guy.

‘Excuse me… I need to get some air.’ Paul suddenly heard himself speak. He didn’t know he had wanted to say what he had said, but he agreed with what he had said. He needed some air. He should have known something like this wouldn’t go down well.

‘I bet. With a kiss like that.’ Ringo said and winked at Paul, before turning around and starting to mess about with his drums. John gave him an apologetic look and a weak smile, but Paul pretended he didn’t see. He needed to think. He nodded and walked out, keeping his eyes down on the floor.

George watched Paul go with a happy smile on his face. He patted John’s shoulder when Paul had closed the door behind him.

‘Good job, John. I told you, it would work out.’ He said cheerily. His didn’t feel as cheerily anymore however, when John turned around with a furious look on his face.

‘You fucking saphead! You fucking, idiotic, egg!’  John screamed at him. Ringo looked up from his drums in shock.

‘I didn’t fucking tell him! It was just a joke! A prank! A gag! Didn’t it even cross your brainless head, that it was April first?!’

‘Oh lord…’  George muttered, his eyes wide, ‘You don’t mean…’

‘Shit, Geo. You dim git. Now what am I gonna tell him, eh?’ John asked. George took his head in his hands and shook his head.

‘I’m so sorry, John. But… but what did you expect. I didn’t… I didn’t think you’d make such a joke. I mean… It’s Paul! I never thought he’d do something like that, unless it was for real.’ George tried to apologise, but John just shook his head.

‘Shit, eh… I gotta talk to him. Shit…’ The older man swore and turned around to run after Paul.

‘I’m sorry!’ George called after him one last time.

‘Seems like you cocked it up, Geo.’ Ringo sighed. George mumbled something obscene to his older friend and sat down on an amp and grabbed his guitar.

John had guessed Paul would have been outside. And he had been right. Paul was leaning against the outside wall, lighting up a ciggy as John come outside as well, caring Paul’s coat.

‘You should wear this. You’re going to catch a cold.’ He said, offering Paul his coat. Paul didn’t say anything. He didn’t even acknowledge John was there at all. John sighed and leaned against the wall next to Paul, sticking his hands in his pockets. It was still rather cold outside. Luckily it wasn’t raining, though. John watched Paul smoke from the corner of his eye for a few minutes before taking a ciggy of his own.

‘Why didn’t you… say anything?’ Paul asked suddenly out of nowhere. John blinked a few times and watched the smoke that came out of mouth before turning to look at his friend.

‘About me like ya?’ John asked. Paul hummed around the cigarette in his mouth. John shrugged with a sigh and took another drag.

‘I didn’t think it would matter.’ He said. Paul scoffed at that.

‘So, instead you make me kiss you by coming up with some stupid prank?’

‘You make it sound bad.’ John said with a nervous chuckle. Paul gave one too, surprising John. He watched as Paul licked his lip and watched the sky. John looked up as well, but couldn’t find anything more interesting than Paul, so instead he just looked back at him.

‘I wouldn’t have minded, you know.’ The younger man confessed. John nodded.

‘I know… but that’s not a reason for me to have told you.’ He said.

‘Really? Why not?’ Paul asked and turned his head to face John, who took in a sharp breath.

‘Because there’s a difference between not minding and wanting.’ He said.

‘You believe that?’

‘Yes. Of course. Don’t you?’ John asked. Paul shrugged and took a last drag before dropping the ciggy on the ground and putting it out wit his foot.

‘Then, I would like to rephrase something I have said.’ He said. John cocked his head.

‘And that is?’ he asked. Paul smiled at him and lifted a hand to caress John’s cheek.

‘I would not only have not minded. I would have wanted it.’ He spoke, almost as softly as a whisper. John blinked a few times. Paul’s eyes darted down to John’s soft lips and his eyes fell close again with a little whimper as he remembered their shared kiss.

‘Wanted it?’ John asked. Paul nodded and moved his fingers into John’s short hair, which he had cut because of that movie he did a few months ago, and smiled gently at him. John stared into Paul’s eyes, not quite believing what was happening and even when Paul leaned up and placed his lips against John’s, he couldn’t do much more than let out a strangled moan and close his eyes.

‘Do you want that jacket now?’ John asked as Paul pulled away, not knowing what else to say. Paul laughed at that and nodded. John picked Paul’s jacket up off the ground and wrapped it around Paul’s shoulders.

‘So… we’re… what are we now?’ John asked. Paul shrugged.

‘I’m not too sure.’ He said. John nodded and sighed, seemingly disappointed.

‘But I don’t really mind. I just know I’d like to kiss you more.’ Paul continued. John laughed lightly and nodded before wrapping his arms around Paul and kissing him once quickly on the lips before just holding him closely against him.

‘We should tell George we’re okay. I might have been a little harsh on him.’ John said softly.

‘Or not? You know… continue this joke of ours and letting George believe he’s going to break up the band with his fast mouth.’ Paul offered. John chuckled at that.

‘You’re evil, you know.’

‘Yeah. Probably got it from you. My dad was right. You’re a bad influence on me, John Lennon.’

‘And I wouldn’t have it any other way.’ John said. Paul giggled and kissed John’s cheek.

‘We should go back. If we hurry we might be able to finish early and get some time of our own.’ The younger of the two offered. John laughed and turned Paul around before pushing him back inside.

‘Oh, how I love April fool’s.’ He said.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was graciously imported from tumblr by [CJD](https://chut-je-dors.tumblr.com/) who is a good friend and overall pretty amazing. Suck it, Puck


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